The Challenge and Opportunity of Discoveries 08 on Cable

A large number of members are staying home and watching the meetings on cable. So whats wrong? Well, the evangelistic planning was based on the church being the downlink site where members and visitors would view the broadcast.

In hindsight, if the cable providers had assured us that they would have been able to carry the broadcast, then I would have proposed cell group type evangelism, or argued against purchasing the satellite dish, simply subscribe to cable for the period of the series.

So we are caught in the middle of the stream with the current pulling in two different directions. There is an opportunity here somewhere. But the innovative capacity of the church may limit any creativity at this time.

We cant just soldier on blindly, something has to be done.

One Week of Discoveries 08

So far so good. Church budget for the series is sooo tooo small so we had to get creative, like designing and running off handbills and fliers. Like barely affording the banner.

But we are up and running at our downlink site at the Knockpatrick Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Pastor Mark Finley has been preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ with power and clarity. The broadcast quality is good. Attendance has been good.

I heard of the delayed broadcast on 3ABN a bit too late to promote it, so we are live on Hope Channel; problem is with the Daylight Saving Time in USA, we are starting at 6 p.m down here in Jamaica.

Prayer and action

Prayer is commendable in all seasons, however, the emphasis on prayer in the murderous nation of Jamaica at this time must not be at the expense of serious practical and honest approaches to reducing the crime rate.

Firstly, perhaps we should explore the truth and reconciliation successes experienced by other states with a history of political polarisation and bloodshed.

Secondly, Christians in Jamaica should get out of the four walls of the church and into the battlefield of life with the word of God clothed in appropriate charity.

Thirdly, we need national urgency and national priority to tackle the lost generation of youth who are cold and hopeless.

May the Lord have mercy on Jamaica.

The Mark Finley Discovery 2008 Training Broadcast

I had the opportunity see a bit of the online broadcast Tuesday and Saturday. But the one that was scheduled for 4:00 pm Jamaican time last Sabbath, did not air in the North American region. Major major embarrassment!

Why?

I had contacted the Mandeville Seventh-day Adventist Church and asked them to facilitate us with a viewing from their satellite feed. The earlier broadcast was too early for Jamaican schedule; divine service would be just about ending. So I communicated with the elder in charge of media at Mandeville as well as the communication secretary, and they made arrangements for 4pm. Alas Hope TV had no Discovery 08 on at that time.

Evidently the 4pm broadcast would have been for the Pacific Rim satellite, and not on our North American feed. When I returned home I went online and checked the Hope TV schedule for this region and saw that only one broadcast was planned for the day, whereas the Fact Sheet had two. So I thought, no wonder the handout at the seminar had Pacific Time for the last broadcast and no EST.

I hear that the union is seeking to obtain a copy of the programme. They should, Pastor Mark Finley is such a sincere speaker.

Discovery 08 with Mark Finley

On Sabbath, April 5, 2008, Sis Princess Lawes, Director or Public Affairs and Religious Liberty at West Indies Union, visited Knockpatrick Seventh-day Adventist Church and reported on the success of Pentecost and More; she went on to announce that the satellite evangelism programme Net 08, now renamed Discovery 2008, with Evangelist Mark Finley is scheduled for the month of October and will be aired on Hope TV.

The next day I attended a communication seminar at Camp Verley for communication secretaries, and received more information on the series, including the training broadcasts planned for Tuesday, April 15, and Sabbath, April 19, 2008.

I have taken the liberty of pasting the Fact Sheet from Hope TV here. I know that it is more digitally acceptable to post a link, but I always think of the person who is too lazy to even want to click.


F A C T S H E E T


Contact: 1-888-393-HOPE (4673) March 3, 2008
Email:evangelism@hopetv.org
www.hopetv.org/evangelism


Special broadcast on April 15 and 19
To introduce Discoveries ‘08 with Pastor Mark Finley

On Tuesday, April 15 and Saturday, April 19, Hope Channel will broadcast a special program to introduce NET 2008 with Pastor Mark Finley. This inspiring and informative television broadcast will help people understand what to expect when Discoveries 08 begins this fall.

Church members, pastors, and leaders are urged to watch this live program with Pastor Finley to learn how they can benefit from the brand new evangelistic approaches that Discoveries 08 will feature. There will be inspiring music and dynamic preaching that will be suitable for either your Sabbath church service or Sabbath afternoon viewing by the church.

Broadcast times on Hope Channel are:

Tuesday, April 15 at 8:00 pm EST and again at 7:00 pm PST.

Saturday, April 19, at 2:00 pm EST (11:00 am PST) and again at 5:00 pm EST (2:00 pm PST)


Discoveries 08 will present a fresh approach to satellite evangelism.
• All new sermons and colorful graphics.
• Sermon topics will be divided into teaching blocks to make it easy to invite friends to the topic that most interests them.
• Viewers will be able to video tape their questions and post them on You Tube to be broadcast and answered during the live meetings.
• Hope Channel’s online evangelism training school to help you prepare for NET 2008. Classes by the most experienced evangelists in the church will help you win souls.

All of this, and more, will be explained, April 15 and 19, on Hope Channel. Plan now for you and your church to participate.

To participate in the April 15 and 19 program, please register by providing your name and address where additional information can be sent. Call 1-888-393-HOPE (1-888-393-4673) or log on to www.hopetv.org/evangelism.

FREE BONUS GIFT
Everyone who registers to host the Discoveries 08 meetings in their church or home this fall will receive a free copy of Pastor Finley’s new dynamic revival series called Empowered by the Spirit. This deeply spiritual series is on two DVDs, packaged as volume 20 0f Adventist Preaching, and includes a bonus video Five Keys to Successful Evangelism. This is a limited time offer, so register now by calling 1-888-393-HOPE (1-888-393-4673).

This year’s NET evangelistic meeting is called Discoveries 08. Pastor Mark Finley will present the meetings from Orlando, Florida this fall, October 24 to November 29.

Hope Channel is a 24 hours 7 day international television network broadcasting on 9 satellites in 9 languages. To learn more about Hope Channel, visit www.hopetv.org.

Amazon Stocks EG White Books

This is exciting, finally a product I can promote wholeheartedly on this blog. Amazon stocks EG White books, this is really exciting. Potential to live the message and make a living with online literature evangelism.

This is really exciting.

Studying the Testimonies

There was a time many many posts ago, when I proposed a comprehensive study of the EG White writings on this blog. I am becoming more and more informed on internet writing opportunities, and I wish to earn money from internet writing.

Soooo...I am wondering. What if I focus on a blog which sells EG white books while discussing the writings.

Problem is that our Adventist Book Centre does not have an affiliate programme. So I need to check Amazon and others.

That should be easy to find out and follow up. Or why dont I approach the publishers and do a shipping arrangement. After Sabbath I'll give more thought to that business part.